I won't bury my lede: I read it in 24 hours. That might be enough for some of you. For the others, some elaboration below.

Looking at reviews here andI won't bury my lede: I read it in 24 hours. That might be enough for some of you. For the others, some elaboration below.

Looking at reviews here and elsewhere, the most negative seem to come from hard core Karin Slaughter fans and hard-core readers of the genre. I'm neither. I had never read a book by the author and while I've been reading more psychological thrillers lately, I am definitely not a ... what? Thrillerophile?

I found this novel dark, very disturbing and often over the top. The storyline at times strained credulity. (Actually, unless credulity is as elastic as silly putty, it *snapped* it).

But for all that, it's a total page-turner and a well-written one, at that. I found something to like or admire in most of the main characters, even the ones who were basically unlikable (which, come to think of it, is most of them, at least for most of the book). And it had a surprising amount of humor for a book whose subject is about as un-funny as you can imagine. e.g.: "Lydia Delgado stared out at the sea of teenage cheerleaders on the gym floor and said a silent prayer of thanks that her daughter was not one of them. Not that she had a thing against cheerleaders. She was forty-one years old. Her days of hating cheerleaders were well over. Now, she just hated their mothers."

And while I haven't read this author before, I know she's written a boatload of books. She's obviously still working hard, so props for that....more

haven't read other people's reviews, but I imagine its many imperfections have been pointed out. I doubt I will disagree, but I thought it was a good,haven't read other people's reviews, but I imagine its many imperfections have been pointed out. I doubt I will disagree, but I thought it was a good, well-written story. I enjoyed it and was never annoyed. That's all it takes for me these days....more

Need I say more? Probably not, but I will anyway. I haven't digested this yet (the 2 a.m. was eight hours ago). I'm better rigI finished it at 2 a.m.

Need I say more? Probably not, but I will anyway. I haven't digested this yet (the 2 a.m. was eight hours ago). I'm better right now at why I didn't hate it.

First, I don't know how the author did it, but I was not nearly as annoyed with Rachel as I normally am with self-destructive characters. Yes, a couple of times I thought, "please, PLEASE do not pick up that drink," but it didn't prevent my enjoyment of the novel.

Second, I see my Goodreads friend CLM thought it was predictable. I didn't find it predictable. Sometimes I'm onto things early, but other times (now, evidently) I'm a mystery/thriller writer's best reader - just dim enough to not figure things out.

Third, the writing was not awful. In fact, I found it crisp and interesting.

Fourth, I haven't figured out which of the loose ends weren't tied up, and what parts of the plot don't make sense. Maybe I will after I've had more than four and a half hours of continuous sleep, and perhaps I'll come knock off a star. But as of now, I think it was tied up "all right and tight," as an old Brit might say.

Fifth, somehow I didn't find it irredeemably dark. As with Rachel's character, I am not sure why not, when it's the sort of novel that would normally depress me. I would have to think about it or go back and read, but the author kept me sympathetic and interested without my getting too morose....more

Compelling. well-written murder mystery/thriller with great southern Mississippi atmospherics. Larry Ott is a truly pathetic character (in the real meCompelling. well-written murder mystery/thriller with great southern Mississippi atmospherics. Larry Ott is a truly pathetic character (in the real meaning of the word), heartbreakingly so. I plowed through the book in a couple of days.

Wow... was expecting an Austenesque story about a woman's adjustment to changing circumstances, but wound up with Willkie Collins instead. Emily is thWow... was expecting an Austenesque story about a woman's adjustment to changing circumstances, but wound up with Willkie Collins instead. Emily is the picture of Victorian virtue (referred to as both "pre-Victorian" and "mid-Victorian" by other characters in the book.) Bit of a doormat, "but hey! if she's happy..." Read it until 2 am to ensure that evil fails and right prevails....more

3 stars all for plot. Should probably give it 2.5, but I found myself engaged, so it deserves that. (This rating to all four books, which I read in as3 stars all for plot. Should probably give it 2.5, but I found myself engaged, so it deserves that. (This rating to all four books, which I read in as many weeks and which now mush together in my mind.)

The writing is pretty bad, but she's a good storyteller -- she has that JK Rowling talent for creating a separate world with interesting characters, good plotting and action. And it's a romantic story (me like) rather than a coming of age tale.

Everything was better and more readable when someone was trying to kill Bella. Fortunately, this was most of the time.

There's so much wrong with it, and I'm sure a million Goodreads reviewers have said it all ... But it hooked me in, and I'd recommend it. Especially to someone who needs a jump start in their reading, and is willing to sacrifice good writing for a fun romp through a world of vampire love. ...more

3.5 starts, really. Definitely a good selection if you like Wilkie Collins. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and there were definitely some surprises.3.5 starts, really. Definitely a good selection if you like Wilkie Collins. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and there were definitely some surprises. I enjoyed her writing and even found the flaws (and there are those) charming. I loved the lazy hero. ...more

Good fun British gothic suspense. But you have to like this sort of book ... Stewart is (was?) a very competent, though definitely "popular," fictionGood fun British gothic suspense. But you have to like this sort of book ... Stewart is (was?) a very competent, though definitely "popular," fiction writer. I stayed up late to finish this book. ...more

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Gabriel Betteridge is one of my new favorite characters in all literature. There are no loose ends in Wilkie Collins'I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Gabriel Betteridge is one of my new favorite characters in all literature. There are no loose ends in Wilkie Collins' books, and he is a master at suspense. At least, once you arrive at the suspenseful part, which can take some time. I highly recommend it. ...more

Really good summer read, I think. Interesting perspective on Stalinist Soviet Union (well, Stalinist and immediately post-Stalinist, since Stalin diesReally good summer read, I think. Interesting perspective on Stalinist Soviet Union (well, Stalinist and immediately post-Stalinist, since Stalin dies during the time covered in the book). It's a psychological and political thriller, fairly well-plotted and, especially at the end, well paced.

He got a bit repetitive, and I thought clubbed me over the head a bit with some of his points about the era, the horrible tactics, etc. I look forward to more books by this young author. I am betting his style will mature -- I just hope he has more great yarns to spin!...more

I really liked this book in many ways, but I think perhaps I wasn't either a) booksmart enough; or b) motivated enough for it. If I'd been smarter, II really liked this book in many ways, but I think perhaps I wasn't either a) booksmart enough; or b) motivated enough for it. If I'd been smarter, I would have picked up on and smiled gratifyingly at all of the obscure Latin and poetry references, and all the inside baseball ("inside cricket?") about Oxford. And even if I was just ignorant me, but in a more motivated frame of mind, I'd have looked them all up. But I wasn't. I was on vacation. And so I let them slide right by, figuring out what I could in context and just blowing the rest off.

I tend to think, though, that other people, not even as doltish as me, might struggle with all of the characters thrown at you in the beginning. I couldn't all the women straight.

That said, I was intrigued by the setting and the era. I liked (though didn't absolutely love) the main character. I think I really liked Lord Peter, but I didn't get to know him very well. I wish I'd not read it first in the series. Mistake, I think. It's really not meant to be read first.

Perhaps I'll read it again, appreciate it more, and then re-review it with a better rating.